Described by critics as something akin to CSI: Riyadh as an action movie, this film is definitely engaging, if a bit flawed.

Writing: The juxtaposition of the environment of Saudi Arabia is one of the only things that gives this plot a fresh spin. If not for the change in setting, and the politics that surrounds it, the plot is little more than a team of FBI agents out to catch the bad guy(s). That’s not entirely a criticism, because it’s kind of an interesting thing to see a standard plot thrown for a loop by nothing more than the setting. Character development is kind of on-the-nose, but it works. Ultimately, this movie is about performance and production more than it is about writing. I will compliment the movie for being probably the only movie in recent years having anything to do with international relations that doesn’t portray the USA as villains or soldiers out to slaughter innocent civilians. In fact, I’m adding on a point for that fact alone to make up for the one I’m subtracting for what I’ll rant about below.

Production: Almost everything about this production is fantastic. However, I stress the word “almost.” I’m going to come down extremely hard on one thing, and I’m going to be a little bit unfair to this individual film in doing so. What I’m going to slam is the cinematography. I’m sick to $#*@!%^ death of the handheld “docu” feel that has been the fad in recent years. Once Ridley Scott showed everyone how to do it with Black Hawk Down (and he did it with masterful precision), everyone and their uncle has decided that it is how they have to shoot their film. However, in perhaps a misguided effort to top the last guy who did it, they employ camera operators suffering from the final stages of Parkinsons disease. Seriously, could they just hold the camera even slightly steady for one billionth of a second? Pretty please. While this film isn’t nearly as bad as The Bourne Supremacy, it’s severely annoying and distracting. I subtracted at least a full point out of ten from my enjoyment of this film for this fact alone. Then again, for something to be worse at the hand held crap than The Bourne Supremacy, somebody would have to tie the camera to the back of a car and drag it around for the whole film. I don’t mind the occasional hand held sequence in films, if it doesn’t feel like the camera crew are 100% incompetent at their jobs, and if it isn’t constant from one scene to the next. This movie, sadly, breaks both of those rules. I think this movie gets worst cinematography of the year from me so far. I must pay special compliment to the opening title sequence, though. It’s a very well constructed history of the Saudi Arabian kingdom with their discovery of oil and relations with the United States that followed. It’s produced with slick style and actually tells the nearly 100 year historical story very well. Oh, and I definitely enjoyed all the location filming and well staged action sequences. Well, as best as I could see them through the horrible camera work, anyway.

Cast: You know, I would enjoy this movie for no other reason than to see Jennifer Garner back in action. Amusingly, she’s probably got more experience in action sequences than the rest of the cast combined. Her years on Alias were more than adequate preparation for her role in this movie. She gets a couple excellent action scenes to take part in, and more than holds her own. Jamie Foxx does an OK job with the overly-confident and somewhat one note character. Chris Cooper fits his role like a glove. But then again, he’s been in enough political/espionage thrillers to be able to do this stuff blindfolded. Interestingly, he doesn’t usually end up as part of the action material in most of said films, but he does get a pretty good amount of action material in this one. Jason Bateman does what he does best - witty sarcasm. He comes through with some nice scenes of dramatic performance, too. Supporting performances are good, including the likes of Richard Jenkins and Frances Fisher. Jeremy Piven is cast in a somewhat obvious move for a self-centered ambassador, doing his usual great job at riffing his way through dialog and situations. Definitely an amusing side character to the story.

Music: Danny Elfman’s score gets the job done pretty well. The guitar stuff is a bit thick for my liking, but his electronic overtones and action cues are quite good. The scoring of the opening title sequence is particularly well done.

A charming and fun comedy with an interesting combination of characters.

Writing: The plotting of the film doesn’t break new ground in any particular way, but it feels different enough to separate itself from any similar films. I will give them credit for actually explaining why the characters are the way they are, for once. In fact, it’s scenes like that where this film works best. Scenes like the flashbacks to the childhood gym classes or the amusing visit by Mr. Woodcock to see his father in a nursing home not only work best for the characters, but also provide some of the best comedy. I also admire them for shying away from some of the more extreme or gross styled humor that has become a staple of such genre films of late. It may have some definite weak moments and an unsteady feeling, but much of it works well enough to be entertaining.

Production: Pretty much nothing to single out in either a good or bad way about the production of this film. Everything is about as good as one would expect, or as it should be. Nothing particularly flashy or stylish, nor does there need to be.

Cast: Here’s the strongest aspect of the film. It’s almost impossible to thing of anyone but Billy Bob Thornton for a role like this, so it’s no surprise that he was cast. If I had read this script, he would have immediately been the first actor I would have thought of for the role. And having played it so many times, he makes it all work with ease. He’s more sympathetic in this one than in most of his other similar performances, which is a nice change of pace. Seann William Scott does a good job in the role that would have typically been given to the likes of Ben Stiller. He works equally well as the grown up version of the humiliated child turned self-help author and as the man on a vengeance streak. Susan Sarandon pulls off the role of the mother quite well. She has the tough sell of being the woman who’s in love with the Mr. Woodcock character, and she somehow pulls it off. It’s amusing to see Sarandon in supporting performances in films as diverse from each other as this and In The Valley Of Elah within the same week. Other supporting roles in the film are filled with great acting choices, from the always-fun Ethan Suplee to Melissa Sagemiller. But it’s Amy Poehler who steals the show in her brief scenes as the heartless publisher.

Music: Theodore Shapiro, who has made a career of scoring comedies in recent years like few others, proves why he’s given the job so often. His score is one of my favorite aspects of this film. It’s got a very fun, retro style. Definitely a fun score, and one of those rare examples of the music score itself managing to be funny (that’s actually an insanely hard thing to pull off).

While this is undoubtedly a film featuring some fine acting performances and some nicely written dialog, it’s not a perfect film.

Writing: Writer/director/producer Paul Haggis is known primarily as a writer, going as far back as writing for TV shows like Different Strokes, of all things. In recent years, he’s had a string of commercial and critical hits that has elevated him into a highly regarded writer. Personally, I have extremely mixed reactions to seeing his name as writer on a credit list. While he’s got some excellent work under his belt (Casino Royale, Million Dollar Baby and Flags Of Our Fathers), he’s been responsible for some stuff I’ve considered complete crap (the TV series The Black Donnellys and films like The Last Kiss and the abysmal and criminally overrated Crash). While he manages to avoid making socio-political commentary for most of this movie, he just can’t help himself with the final scene of the film. Frankly, I truly hated the last scene of this movie. Many people probably consider it a clever method for making a statement, but it just hit me as alarmingly cheap and excruciatingly out of place and reactionary. I had a similar reaction to Crash, but at least this movie was quite good up to the ending, unlike the meandering, hateful, annoying film that Crash was up to the end.

Production: No complaints to be found in this category. Most everything about this production is correctly downplayed. It feels very real. Perhaps there could have been one or two fewer strip clubs/bars in the film (though that’s actually a writing complaint). Cinematography isn’t flashy, and it totally works. Sound design is equally flat and realistic. The Iraq footage, portrayed through garbled cell-phone recorded video, also feels very real.

Cast: Here’s the true strength of the film. Tommy Lee Jones turns in an award-worthy performance. And it’s amazingly downplayed and subtle. He’s always been a very talented actor, and this movie really puts him in his element. Susan Sarandon isn’t in the movie a whole lot, but she makes it count in the scenes she has. Charlize Theron hasn’t gotten quite the level of praise from most critics for her performance as Jones has, but I think her performance is quite remarkable. Again, it’s all in the subtlety. Theron is a very talented actress, and she definitely brings her character to life, and feels just as much at home in the environment and role as Jones does. Other supporting roles are well cast, with the likes of James Franco, Barry Corbin, Frances Fisher, Josh Brolin and Jason Patrick (where the heck has Jason Patrick been in recent years, anyway?).

Music: Mark Isham comes through with a mildly serviceable music score. It’s definitely nothing special or notable, but it plays at the down-to-earth nature of the movie and story well enough to stay out of the way and support the film.